


Always

by dkmcb01



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Admiral Janeway - Freeform, Alpha Quadrant, DS9, F/M, Post-Endgame, Transwarp (Star Trek), endgame rewrite, non-canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:08:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24669670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dkmcb01/pseuds/dkmcb01
Summary: I love to read "they all get home" stories but I want to read one where Janeway doesn't fall apart and get treated like _______ by Starfleet.  So I wrote one.
Relationships: Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway, Tom Paris/B'Elanna Torres
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36
Collections: Star Trek Voyager J/C





	Always

“Hang on!” Harry Kim yelled as Voyager entered the Borg’s transwarp corridor. The seconds that ticked by felt like hours as Kathryn held her breath. A quick glance at her First Officer sitting next to her spoke volumes. There was a rare intensity in Chakotay’s eyes. She reached over and grabbed his hand.

Voyager sounded like she was being shook to death. Consoles sparked around the bridge crew. 

“Navigation offline!” Paris yelled above the clamor.

“Shields at 60% but holding” Tuvok said louder than his normal.

Suddenly, they blasted into open space. Voyager calmed down but still showered them with sparks as she groaned and drifted...her engines offline.

“Mr. Kim...location.” Kathryn asked.

“You did it Captain! We are in the Alpha Quadrant! At the edge of it but we are home!” Harry exclaimed excitedly.

“ _ We _ did it, Mr. Kim.” Kathryn sat back in her command chair and took a deep breath. 48 hours ago...her older self appeared through a rift in space. She came aboard and convinced them all she could save them. And she had. Kathryn blinked several times and stood up. 

“Harry, open a ship-wide channel,” 

Kathryn had dreamed of this moment over the last seven years. Never giving much weight to it...never really believing they could make it home no matter how much she pushed. Kathryn cleared her throat and looked at Chakotay. She tried to say everything she wanted to, with her eyes, as she held his gaze. He nodded.

“Voyager...we are home.” Kathryn told her crew. Harry had left the channel open intentionally - so the bridge crew could hear the cheers. Kathryn waited for a pause and then said, 

“I will let you know more when I know more.” Kathryn motioned for Harry to close the channel.

“Harry, get a damage report. Have the crew repair only those systems that are absolutely necessary. Tom, get with Neelix and plan a party for tonight...real alcohol for those who wish to partake. Chakotay and I will be in my ready room.”

Chakotay followed Kathryn into her ready room. The door had just closed when she had practically jumped into his arms. Not as surprised as he thought he would be, Chakotay caught her easily. 

“Kathryn, you did it.” Chakotay whispered so close to her lips 

“We did it, Chakotay. All of us.” she replied as she kissed him gently. 

Their first kiss - so gentle and full of promise - full of their future. Kathryn, reluctantly, slid down his frame. He reached down and brushed a stray hair out of her face.

“Come on, Chakotay. We have a few things to figure out before we call HQ.” Kathryn smiled as she pulled him toward the view of the Alpha Quadrant streaming into her ready room.

Chakotay stopped at her replicator. 

“Coffee?” he asked with a smile.

“How about something a bit stronger?” she replied.

Chakotay replicated two glasses of the best bourbon the replicator could manage and handed one to Kathryn.

“To home.” he toasted

“To home.” she replied

Kathryn was in no hurry to contact Starfleet. She sat on the couch and stared at Chakotay instead. She had avoided looking him in the eyes for so long - she was making up for lost time. Chakotay held her gaze and sipped his drink.

“Time for official business, Commander. Kathryn smirked. “Here’s what I am thinking...I am going to call Starfleet and let them know we are headed to DS9...we can debrief there. If they don’t like it - I don’t care. I want to get that part of this over with as soon as possible. I am also letting them know they will be giving the former Maquis crew pardons effective ….oh about 6.5 years ago.” 

Chakotay smiled at Kathryn’s bravado. 

“What if they push back? How far are you prepared to go with your demands?” 

Kathryn reached for Chakotay’s hand...running her fingers lightly over the top.

“Then my subsequent calls with be to every news vid outlet Mr. Kim can find. Besides I would never ask for so many things if I didn’t have enough “dirt” on several highly placed Admirals.” Kathryn responded with a sly smile.

Chakotay raised an eyebrow in surprise and drained his glass. He took her glass and placed them both on the table. Kathryn moved closer until she could reach out and trace his tattoo with her finger. He turned into her hand, kissing her wrist.

“Kathryn Janeway, you never cease to surprise me.”

Kathryn let out a laugh as she climbed onto his lap, straddling his legs. She rested her forehead against his and took a deep breath. She leaned back to look him in the eyes. Her Chakotay who stood by her all these years. 

“I know it’s been hard. I love you more than life, Chakotay.”

“I love you, Kathryn. Always.”

Kathryn leaned in for their second kiss. Getting lost in each other’s lips - they parted only to breathe.

Chakotay moved a bit - adjusting himself. Kathryn gave him a smirk and winked.

“Before we go further...you need to make a call.” Chakotay coughed out.

Kathryn gave him a quick kiss before climbing off him. She spotted her glass on the table - picked it up and drained it. She unzipped her uniform jacket and threw it across a chair as she walked to her desk.

Chakotay was not even used to kissing Kathryn and now she was practically out of uniform making one of the most important calls ever. He shook his head and smiled as he walked over and sat across from her.

“Surprised, Commander?” Kathryn smiled.

“Yes, Captain. And I have never been called ‘Commander’ with so much sexual tension before.” Chakotay responded. “Are you really going to call them ‘out -of-uniform’ so to speak?”

“Not only out-of-uniform but audio only.”

With that Kathryn placed a call to Starfleet headquarters. Fleet Admiral Owen Paris - head of Starfleet and her old friend answered immediately.

“Kathryn? KATHRYN! Where are you!?! Your signal is a bit scrambled and we can’t locate you...I can’t see you either...your video down?” Owen asked excitedly.

“Owen! Voyager has made it to the edge of the Alpha Quadrant. Sorry about the video - it was a rough ride and Voyager is a bit beat up.”

Before Fleet Admiral Paris could start with whatever nonsense he was about to come up with and after a wink at Chakotay,

“Fleet Admiral Paris...Owen...before we go any further...let me say we are very happy to be home. It’s a long story and one that can wait for the debrief. I’m setting a course for DS9...we won’t be there quick but we will get there. As I said - it was a rough ride. As for the debrief team - You, Admiral Hayes and Admiral Patterson can meet us at DS9. We will spend no more than 30 days at DS9 - in quarantine according to regulations. The former Maquis will be given pardons backdated 6.5 years ago. If it weren’t for them - we wouldn’t be here. They have shown their loyalty time and time again. Besides you know the Federation was on the wrong side of history in that one. Those that were Starfleet before they joined the Maquis will be given the chance to stay and they  _ will _ get their back pay. Non Starfleet crew will be given the choice to stay also and given back pay equal to the time they have been on Voyager. You will recommend the Doctor - our EMH - be proclaimed a sentient being. We will discuss the “why” during the debrief. There will be  _ no _ criminal charges of any sort for any member of my crew - that includes me.”

Chakotay had sat - wide-eyes - watching Kathryn give the highest ranking member of Starfleet an ultimatum. In 7 years on Voyager - she had never sounded so confident. 

They could hear Fleet Admiral Paris take a deep breath of...not defeat but acceptance? Paris still challenged her,

“Captain Janeway, what makes you think that I will give you everything you just asked for?”

  
  
  


Chakotay watched Kathryn lean forward on her desk. She looked at him and what he saw made him shudder. There was a ferocity in her eyes he didn’t know she had...not even with all they had been through in the Delta Quadrant

“31 Phoenix Alpha Six Two.”

Chakotay could almost feel the tension pouring out of the comm line...

“Very well, Katie. We will see you at DS9 in...two days?”

“We will be there, Owen. It’s good to be home.”

Katherine stood up and walked over to Chakotay - she sat on his lap and looked at him with a smirk.

“How did you like that?”

“Kathryn. I have never witnessed anything like that...ever. Do I want to know what ‘31 Phoenix Alpha Six Two’ is...and how it makes the highest ranking person in Starfleet do exactly what you want?” 

Kathryn leaned down and kissed Chakotay gently. As she sat back up she replied,

“No. I have never used it before. Have been holding onto it for years - just in case I needed it. After Admiral Janeway came onboard what...50 hours ago now...I have been planning that little speech.”

Chakotay pulled Kathryn to him. He buried his head in the crook of her neck.

Kathryn began placing kisses along his temple.

There’s one other thing the Admiral told me…”

Looking up and catching her eye, Chakotay asked,

“What is it?”

“She told me and I quote ‘ no matter how this turns out...get help when you get home’ … so that’s what I am going to do. I do not want to turn out to be anything like her. I know she did the best she could but I want to do better. I am going to contact my old friend, Beverly Crusher, and see if she can recommend someone who can meet us at DS9. I have avoided therapy for years but … I want to honor the Admiral’s sacrifice.” Kathryn replied.

“I am so proud of you, Kathryn Janeway.” Chakotay responded and then kissed his beautiful and strong Kathryn passionately.

****

That night, as Voyager cruised slowly toward DS9, Chakotay and Kathryn walked hand in hand into holodeck two. Tom and Neelix had out done themselves. Along with the popular tropical theme - there were banners and balloons and more food and drink than anyone could remember. 

Kathryn and Chakotay joined their crew in celebration.

**Author's Note:**

> more?


End file.
